Stratics Info

Royal Spymaster Magnus Grey assembled the Royal Spies at their headquarters this evening with news from Michael of Moonglow. “Michael believes he can make a connection to another of the prism worlds,” Grey announced. The mission for the evening was simple: travel to the new world, perform reconnaissance, and assess any threats to Britannia. The Royal Spies departed to Lord Blackthorn’s castle to meet with Michael.

Michael of Moonglow awaited the arrival of the Royal Spies in the courtyard, standing next to his Ethereal Detector. Warning that the detector was in need of repair, Michael informed the group, “I will need help from the other mages in your group to get the power,” securing passage to the next world through the prism gate. Michael also warned, “[The prism] seems to pulse with a strange malevolent energy.”

The Gate to Tarna

Standing at the gate point near the blackrock dome, the runes now changed from an icy blue to a deep crimson, and a more triangular prism in place of the Anodunos prism, Michael instructed all of the mages to chant with him, “In Ort Vas Rel Por.” It took quite some time to establish a connection to the next world, but once the connection was established, Michael ushered the Royal Spies through, waiting himself in Britannia near the gate.

On the other side, a strange, red goblin known as General Janar seemed most perplexed at the appearance of the Royal Spies. “You look like a human to me, in spite of those silly wings you’re wearing,” Janar told a nearby gargoyle. As more of the Spies appeared, Janar called out, “Halt! Why are you not on your labor detail? Humans! Why are you not working? All of you, why are you outside your area?” Ra’Dian Fl’Gith of the Spies explained, “We’re from a distant land.” “We conquered that,” was Janar’s reply. While Fl’Gith tried to explain the situation, Janar became more incredulous, refusing to believe the incredible lies being told by the humans of various types (otherwise known as humans, elves, and gargoyles) before him. Finally, Janar seemed to be done with the discussion, stating, “When humans get out of line, I always believe it is best to beat them back into place. My mother taught me that saying and it is very wise.” With little warning, many red-skinned goblins set in to attack the Royal Spies.

Perhaps it was Janar’s belief that the guards could not be felled by simple humans, or perhaps that he witnessed the tide going poorly, but after the guards had been felled, there was no further sign of the General. Instead, the Royal Spies found a tunnel that led to a prison camp deeper in the complex. One of the prisoners within, a man named Bishop, seemed surprised to see us. “Shhh… don’t let the goblins on the walls see you,” Bishop warned. “Why are you here?” he then asked. “I told you not to come and rescue me.” Again, Ra’Dian Fl’Gith took the lead in explaining the Spies’ situation, informing Bishop that the group was from off-world, seeking a blackrock prism that links the two worlds. When Fl’Gith noted, “Sadly, we are facing a battle with Mors Gotha,” Bishop echoed her name. “Has your world fallen too?” he asked.

Between Fl’Gith and Lady Martyna Z’muir, the pair filled Bishop in on everything to date regarding Anodunos, Beatrice, Mokpo, and the affairs with Mors Gotha and the blackrock prisms. “So many of my allies are dead,” Bishop noted, and after the explanation of the pair, asked, “So you wish to close your world off from the others with this prism?” Fl’Gith explained that the prism would be used to help defeat Mors Gotha as well, and Bishop pledged his aid. “I am willing to help fight our mutual enemy.” Bishop informed the Spies that he would go ask around for additional information in the camp, and advised the Spies to talk to others within the camp.

Goblin Attack

The tongue of one of the prisoners, a man named Marcus, had been cut out by the goblins. Another prisoner, a goblin named Milenus, spoke of the last war between humans and goblins, noting that the goblins worship an unknown power called the Red Idol. “It taught us dangerous blood magic,” Milenus spoke, “that let us wage war by famine and plague.” The death and destruction brought by the plague prompted Milenus to aid Bishop with information, at least until he was caught. Simon, a human prisoner, spoke of Bishop’s laughable escape attempts that ceased to be amusing to the goblins when Bishop made threats against the goblish Dictator Borne. A final prisoner, Prince Felix, the last noble of the human kingdom Fyrna, spoke of his people, telling of their long plight against the goblins, which ended in the Crogus Mountains. Only he and Marcus remain that he is aware of, though he hopes other knights remain.

As the Royal Spies investigated, a Tarnan ogre and several Tarnan trolls set upon them, however, the battle allowed for the final bits of information to be gathered. Shortly after the humanoids were defeated, Bishop returned with information. The prism, he noted, was not in the camp, but based on the proximity of the gate from Britannia, Bishop suggested it was likely within the goblins’ keep. Bishop warned that with the chaos caused by the Royal Spies that the camp would be locked down soon by the goblins, so it would be difficult to enter the keep this eve, and suggested the Spies leave, and return another day when all had settled.

Returning to Britannia, the Spies informed Michael of the world beyond the gate. Michael noted he would speak with King Blackthorn, and let the Spies return to their headquarters. Much the same report was given to Spymaster Grey, but then a large debate over the next appropriate action broke out between various members of the Spies. Some, like Lady Z’muir, Malag aste, and Ra’Dian Fl’Gith, stood fast that aid should be given to the peoples of Tarna to help them rise up against their goblin masters. Others, like Lightning and Lord Neptune, felt that the focus should remain fully on the prism, and that if the opportunity presented itself to be of aid after Mors Gotha was no longer a threat to Britannia, then aid should be given. With the discussion growing heated, Lord Grey suggested the debate be tabled until after the debriefing was over, and promised to speak with the King on the matters before the Spies.

History of Tarna by BishopI never expected to spend my final days writing a history of the world, but I never expected to waste away in a prison camp in the Crogus Mountains either. Tarna was home to many different intelligent creatures, but the two largest populations were the goblins and humanity. Centuries of war and uneasy peace had set up a tension between the hordes of goblins and kingdoms of humanity. There was always a balance between the two, so neither could gain advantage. That changed a score and a half years ago. The goblins started a brutal war with humanity, one that was different than all that came before. The goblins had terrible magics, taught to them by a malevolent being from another world. When this voice first called out across the Void, several sensitive monks of my order dropped dead from the raw power behind it. I left my training to help. Human kingdom after kingdom fell to the goblins, until only Fyrna remained. I lead a small Resistance out of the barren wastes near the Crogus Mountains, hoping that Fyrna could turn the war around. I had some information from Milenus, a goblin who served one of the dictators of his people, that led me to learn more about our enemy. His people had been visited by an emissary of their Red Idol, a human woman named Mors Gotha. She claimed that with humanity almost conquered it was time for the goblin hordes to pay the tribute that was required. The goblins paid for this with the blood and sweat of human labor. I spent this time trying to learn more about this Mors Gotha, reaching out to worlds and making allies. Of these, Fissif and Beatrice are dead. Mokpo has disappeared. Only Altara and Zoranthus remain. None were able to help my world as their own faced similar perils. Eventually, the last human prince, Felix, was captured, and Fyrna fell to the goblin hordes. With the final front of the war won, the goblins focused on every pocket of resistance. Most of us were killed, but those deemed interesting or with useful knowledge or skills were put into prison camps.